Diaphragm-controller for cameras.



DIAPHBAGM GQNTBOLLBB FOB CAMERAS.

PPLIOATION FILED nmz, 190s.

907,486. Patented Dec.22, 1908. l

I 2 slums-SHEET 1.

l i l y h I I f M l Q D. E. FELT. DIAPHRAGM CONTROLLER FQRGAMEBAS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1908.

Patented Dgo. 22, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fama/ may UNITED sTATEs DORR E. FELT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DIAPHRAGM-CONTROLLER FOR CAMERAS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1968.

Appiicaaon mea January 2,1908. serial No. 409,020.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, lDorm` E. FELT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Diaphragm-Controllers for Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for controlling the diaphragm-aperture in photographic cameras.

The invention has for an'object the providin of mechanism whereby the operator st set an adjustment to predetermine a reduced aperture for the exposure and yet 'thereafter utilize a large aperture, andthe consequent'fuller illumination for the focusing operation; and it has for further objects such other improvements in structure or 4function as may be found to obtain in the devices hereinafter described or claimed.

The invention is primarily applicable to and useful in the type of camera known as the reflex or Graflex, which is especially used for takin instantaneous views of moving objects. n such camera there is provided, a focusing device whereby an exact view ofthe intended subject is presented on a ground glassfocusing plate at the instant immediately before ythe exposure is made but a large aperture and the fullest possible illumination is requisite to a clear definition of the subject upon such focusing plate, While a muchreduced aperture may be found to be requisite -to a proper delinition of thesubject Ji on the sensitized plate or iilm, and yet'it is generally impossible, and always inconvenient, to change the ordinary aperture adjustment immediately following the instant of focusing and before the instant of exposure.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is .a longitudinal, vertical sectional view of a Grafiex camera Withan embodiment of my invention therein; Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal sectional view of the same showing a-plan view of the operating connections of the diaphragm-controller; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lens and diaphragm mounting, showing the devices immediately controlling the diaphragm aperture Fig. 4 is a detail of the adjustment deviceto predetermine the reducedv aperture for the exposure; and Fig. 5

isa cross section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Like the figures.

reference numerals indicate like parts in all is the frame of the camera, provided lwith' adjustable bellows 11, having on Vits lens 13 and liris diaphragm 14. Said diaphragm is normally controlled by the milled ring 15, by whose rotation the operator may set the diaphragm to any desired a 'erture A coiled spring 16 has its respective y opposite ends secured to a stud 17 in the said rotary ring and a stud 18 in the stationary barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm, and the. said studs are so disposed that the tension of the said spring constantly tends to draw the ring around into position to reduce and close the diaphragm aperture. To predetermine the extent to which the said aperture may be so reduced, the ring is provided withv a stud 19 adapted to engagea movable clip 20 that is adjustable to various ositions on the curved rib 2,1 that projects fiom the base of the lens and diaphragm mounting. Said movable clip is so formed the spring 22 tends to hold its bent tip 23 in any one of the holes 24 with which said tip may engage as the clip is slid along the aforesaidrib. After the setting of thls movable clip has determined the extent to which the diaphragm a erture may be reduced for the purposes of the intended exposure, the operatorhma take hold of either the milled edge or t e greatest aperture, and When so moved the said rin will be held, against the tension of the spring 16, by the engagement of the 1n the edge of the sald ring. It will be observed that the aforesaid reducin means, together with the adjusting an settin means, are mounted'upon and self-containe with the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm,so that the entire device may be readily detached from the front-board of the camera bellows, or the reducing means ma be readily ap lied to the ordinary barre mounting of t e lens and diaphragm. The trigger 26 is tri ped by the contact of its other end with t e lug 28 on the oscillating tubular shaft 29 that` is journaled and supramework of the camera bellows. tripping of said trig er effects, in obvious manner, the instant c osing of the dia hragm predetermined reduced aperture. Such reduction of the aperture is designed to be ger studl and turn the ring '15, v sufficiently to open the diaphragm to lts from its greatest aperture to the a oresaidfront board the barrel mounting 12 of thel as to embrace the upper edge of said rib and pawl-end of the trigger 26 `inthe notch 27 y orted in the bracket 30 fixed in the front j And the eHected in the instant intermediate the focusing operation and the exposure, and the necessary oscillation of the tubular shaft 29 is accomplished by the following described mechanism. Telescoped Within said tubular shaft 29 is the smaller tubular shaft 3l, and Within the latter is telescoped the rod 32, said rod being slidably keyed to said tubular shaft 3l and the latter being slidably keyed to the oscillating tubular shaft 29, so that the inner shaft and rod may be drawn back to any extent to accommodate the extension of the camera bellows, the rear end of the rod 32 being journaled and secured in the partition 33 vertically transverse of the frame of the camera. Said rear end of said rod is provided With a downwardly projecting arm 34 engaged in the forked end of the bell-crank lever 35, pivoted at 36 to the bottomof the frame of the camera, the oscillation or rocking of said rod and its connected tubular shaft being effected by the movement of the said bell `crank lever. Said bell-crank lever has in its other arm the upwardly rojecting stud 37 engaged in the slot 33 in t e arm of the accessory bell-crank lever 39; and the other arm of the said bell-crank lever 39 is adapted to be engaged by the back of the mirror-release trigger 40 and is held against such trigger by the spring 4l. This trigger 40 engages the stud 42 in the forward edge of the focusing mirror 43 and is ada ted to release said mirror at the instant W en the operator vhas concluded the focusing of the 'intended subject. The said trigger is released by the direct action of the push-button rod 44. l/Vhen so released, the focusing mirror is drawn up from in front of the focal plane by the springs controlling it, and at the instant of reaching its raised position the said mirror trips the focallane shutter 45 that effects the exposure o the sensitized plate or nlm.

It is obvious that the tripping of the diaphragm-controlling mechanisms above described vvill be simultaneous with the tripping of the focusing mirror, being effected by one and the same movement of the mirrer-release trigger'll, and-so the diaphragm aperture will be reduced to the required extent by the time 'that the complete raising of the mirror trips the focal-plane shutter to make the exposure. lt is also obvious that v4the aforesaid diaphragm controlling mechanisms are entirely released independently of and before any actual displacement or moving of the displaceable focusing. mirror, so ythat the instantaneous and automatic spring operation of the reducing means may effect the reducing ofthe diaphragm aperture before there is any possibility of the light rays being admitted toward the sensitive focal plane by the displacement of the focusing mirror, and also so that any shock or jar incident upon the operation of the aperture-reducing ymeans maybe dissipated substantially before there is any possibility of an exposure of the sensitized plate. And the focusing mirror itself is also relieved from all strain that might result in its distortion during the focusing operation if the controller for the diaphragm reducing means Were'latched directly to said mirror instead of being tripped by a trigger that is itself independent of said mirror. The operator may first adjust the diaphragm for such reduced aperture as may bc best adapted to give the required definition or focal depth or other uality in the image upon the sensitized pllate or film, under the particular conditions obtaining at the time of'the'intended exposure, and then after making such adjustment 'he may set the diaphragm at a greater or its largest aperture so as to obtain full illumination and clear delineation of the subject upon the ground-glass, 4G, during the focusingv operation, and the instant that he has obtained a vieW of the subject upon the ground glass focusing plate, the same pressure of the operating button that e'dects the displacement of the focusing mirror and the exposure of the sensitized plate or film, also effects the required reduction of the diaphragm aperture just before the instant of such exposure, Vi'rithout the application of the device of my invention tothe camera, the .operator would be unable to effect, in a practical manner, a reduction of the diaphragm aperture instantly that the focusing is effected and Without delaying the immediately following instant of exposure.

My invention is hereinabove set forth as embodied in one particular form of construction, but l do not limit it thereto or to less than all the possible 'forms of construction in which said invention as hereinafter claimed may be embodied and distinguished from prior devices for similar purposes.

l claim i l, in a photographic camera, in combination, an adjustable diaphragm, means-adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, displaceable focusing mechanism, and a controller, released automatically before the displacement of the 'focusing mechanism, to actuate thereducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantially as specified. i

2. In a photographic camera, in combination, focusing mechanism having a displaceable member in the path of the rays from the lens, an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted toreduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermming a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, and a controller to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, said controller being adapted to be released before but o erated by the same manual impulse that e ects the displacement of said member of the focusing mechanism, substantially-as specied. j

3. In a photographic camera, in combination, focusing mechanism having a displaceable member in the (path of the rays from the lens, an adjustable aphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller ilIumination during focusing, and a controller, released before but operated at one movement with the displacement of said member of the focusing mechanism, to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantially as specified.

4.. In a photographic camera, in .combination, focusing mechanism having a displaceable membei` in the ath of the rays from the lens, an adjustable diaphra in, means adapted to reduce the aperture t ereof, an adjustment for predetei'mining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said ,diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, and a controller released before but operated by the displacement of the said member of the focusing mechanism, to actuate the'reduciiig means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantially as specied. 5. In a photographic camera, in combina'- tion, focusing mechanism having a displaceable member adapted to'direct the una e from the lens into a lane apart from t e lane of the sensitized surface, mechanism or ex osing the sensitized surface, an adjustabe diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermim'ng a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for settingsaid' dia hragm at a greater a erture to give fuller lil umination during ocusing, and; a controller, released before but operated at one movement with the displacement of said member of the focusing mechanism, to actuatethe reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the ex osure, substantially as specified.

6. In a p otographic camera, in combination, focusing mechanism having a displaceable member adapted to direct the image from the lens into a lane apart from the lane of the sensitize surface, mechanism or ex osing 'the/sensitized surface, an adjustabe diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment forV predetermining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said dia- ;5 phragm at a greater aperture to give fuller troller, released before but operatedl by the displacement of said member of Ythe focusing mechanism, to actuate the reducing means. instantly after the focusing and before the ex osure, substantially as specified.

7. In a p otographic camera, in combination, focusing mechanism having a displaceable mirror adapted to reflect the image from the lens into a plane apart from the plane of the sensitized surface, mechanism for ex )osing the sensitized surface and actuatedl by the tri ping of said focusing mirror, ariadjustab e diaphragm, lmeans adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining a reduced. aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, and a controller, released before the dis lacement but o erated at one movement wit the tripping o the focusing mirror, to actuate the reduc .,v

ing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantially asspecie4 "tion, focusing mechanism having a displaceable mirror 'adapted to reflect the imagefrom the lens 'into a lane apart from the lane of the Asensitize surface, mechanism Por exposing the sensitized surface and actuated by the tri ping of said focusing mirror,

an adjustable A iaphragm, means ada ted to reduce the aperture thereof, means for setting said dia 'hragm at a greater laperture to give fuller il umination during focusing, and a controller, released before the displacement but operated by the tripping of the focusing mirror, to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantially as specified.

9. In a photographic camera, in combination, an adjustable iris diaphragm, s ringcontrolled means adapted to re uce t e aperture thereof, a movable stop for predetermining the reduction of aperture by said vspring-controlled reducing means, a triggerpaWl for engaging' the movable adjusting member of t e diaphragm to hold said diahragm at' a greater a erture `to givefuller illuminationV durin ocusing, said automatic reducing mec anism being mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm and a controllin device consisting in trip mechanism in the ody of the camera and a movable connection leading forward to the aforesaid trigger-pawl, substantially as-speciiied.

10. In a photographic camera, in combination, a .barrel mounting for the`lens and diaphragm, an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, anadjustment for predetermining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give l fuller illumination during focusing, the said reducing mechanism being mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm, and a controller, operatingautomatically as the focusing is effected, to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before they exposure, substantially as specified. 11. 'In' aphotographic camera, in combination, a barrel mounting for the lens and diaphragm, focusing mechanism having a displaceable member in the path'of the rays from the lens, an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for y setting -said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination `during focusing, the said reducing mechanism being mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm, and a controller to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, said controller being adapted to be operated by the same manual impulse that effects the displacement of said member of the focusing mechanism, substantially as specified.

12. ln a photographic camera, in combi- ;nation, a barrel mounting for the lens and diaphragm, focusing mechanism having a displac'eable member in the path ofthe raysfrom the lens', an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, the said reducing mechanism being 4mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm, and acontroller, operated at one movement-with the displacement of said member of the focusing mechanism, to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantially as specified.

13. In a photographic camera, in combination, a barrel mounting for the lens andV diaphragm, focusing mechanism having a displaeeable member in the path of the rays from the lens, an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining areduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at .a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, the said reducing mechanism being mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm, and a controller operated by the displacement of the said member of the focusing mechanism, to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantiallyT as specified.

14. ln a photographic camera, in combination, a barrel mounting for the lens anddiahragmffocusing mechanism having a displaceable member adapted to direct the senese image from the lens into a plane apart from the plane of the sensitized surface, mechanism for exposing the sensitized surface, an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining the reduced aperture during the exposure, means, for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller ilumination during focusing, the said reducing mechanism being mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm, and a controller, operated at one movement with the displacement of said member of the focusing mechanism, to actuate the reducing means instantly after ythe focusing and before the exposure, substantially as specified.

1,5. In a photographic camera, in combination, a barrel mounting for the lens and diaphragm, focusing mechanism having a dis- ,placeable .member adapted to direct the image from the lens into a plane apart from the plane of the sensitized surface, mechanism for exposing the sensitized surface, an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermlning a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for 4setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, the said reducing mechanism being mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens and diaphragm, and a controller, operated by the displacement of said member of the focusing mechanism, to actuate the reducing means instantly after the focusing and before the exposure, substantially as specified.

l. in a photographic camera, in combination, a barrel mounting for the lens and diaphragm, focusing mechanism having a displaceable mirror adapted to reflect the image from the lens into a plane apart from the plane of the sensitized surface, mechanism for 4exposing the sensitized surface and actuated by the tripping of said focusing mirror, an adjustable diaphragm, means adapted to reduce the aperture thereof, an adjustment for predetermining a reduced aperture during the exposure, means for setting said diaphragm at a greater aperture to give fuller illumination during focusing, the said reducing mechanism being mounted on the barrel mounting of the lens land diaphragm, and a controller, operated at one movement With the trippingof the focusing mirror, to actuate the reducing means instantly after the lfocusing and before the exposure, substantially as specified.

17 ln a photographiccamera, in combination, a barrel mounting for the lens'and diaphragm, focusing mechanism having a displaceable mirror adapted to reflect the image from the lens into a plane apart from the plane of the sensitized surface, mechanism for exposing the sensitized surface and actuan adjustable diaphr means ada ted to the reducing means instantly after the focusreduce the `aperture t ereof, means or seting and before the exposure, substantially as 10 ting said dia. hragm at a. greater aperture to specified. y giv'e'fuller umination during focusing, the

5 said reducing mechanism be' mounted on the barrel mounting of the ens and dia- `Witnesses:

phragm, and a. controller, operated by the H. M. MUNDAY, tripping of the focusing mirror, to actuate l u PEARL ABRAMS.

DoRR FELT. 

